Chefs share 10 things you should never do when buying groceries
- Insider talked to three chefs about some of the biggest mistakes people make while shopping at the grocery store.
- If you grab items from the top or the front of a display, you could end up with damaged products or food with shorter lifespans.
- Purchasing food in bulk and shopping every deal can sometimes result in food waste and wasted money.
Grocery shopping is a simple task, but it can become time-consuming and expensive if it's not done right.
Insider talked to several chefs — who know plenty about buying food and preparing it — to find out mistakes people commonly make at the grocery store that could be costing them time and money.
Keep scrolling to see what they said.
By not making a list, you may end up spending more money and forgetting items.
Going rogue in the supermarket is dangerous, according to chef Barry Tonkinson, director of research and development at the Institute of Culinary Education.
"Supermarkets rely on impulse buying and aim for shoppers to get caught up with eye-catching grabs," Tonkinson said.
It's best to be well-prepared before any shopping trip and to stick to your list of ingredients without exception, he explained.
Going to the store on an empty stomach may lead to more impulse buys.
In the same vein, you should avoid going to the store hungry because you may spend more money than necessary, said Sebastien Rondier, executive chef at Brabo Brasserie.
"When I make this mistake, I buy what I'm craving at the moment versus what I really need at home," Rondier told Insider.
If your list isn't organized, you may be wasting your time.
Making a list is great, but it won't be as useful if it's not organized in a way that reflects how you plan to walk around the store, said Ken Immer, former chef and chief coaching officer of Culinary Health Solutions.
"Now, it doesn't have to be shelf-by-shelf perfection," Immer told Insider. "But at the very least, the items should be grouped by the basic produce, dairy, frozen, soups, and vegetables, etc."
Organizing your list this way will allow you to make one pass through the store and not forget anything, he explained.
If you skip the sale or reduced-price section, you may be missing out on great deals.
Immer said shoppers should also make a point to check their store's clearance rack for non-perishables.
He said most grocery stores have a shelf for items that are being closed out, and it's usually somewhat hidden since the most visible displays are often reserved for newer products.
In this area, you may find a great deal on something that you planned to buy anyway. You also might discover a great bargain on products that could add variety to your menu, like fancy truffle oil that's typically priced much higher.
Try to avoid getting lured into deals for items you don't actually need.
Although a bargain can be great, be mindful of price reductions and special offers, said Tonkinson. You don't want to buy just anything because it's on sale.
In some cases, you could also end up with inferior-quality items that aren't worth the nominal amount of cash you saved, he explained.
"No matter the price, if you are buying those marinated ribs on sale with a short use-by date, the likelihood is that the flavor is going to be compromised," Tonkinson told Insider.
You may not want to grab an item from the front of a display.
Many people are in a hurry at the grocery store so they'll take the first thing they see on the shelf and keep moving, Immer said.
But taking a moment to get the box behind the front one or the item from the back of the display may be worth it.
Sometimes the front item may be damaged or, at the very least, it's been handled by more people, Immer said. Plus items in the front often have the nearest use-by or expiry date.
By visiting the grocery store once every two weeks, you may be missing out on deals and fresher produce.
If the market is close enough to your home, consider only buying enough food for a couple of days and making more frequent trips to the store. Rondier said this can help you avoid food waste.
Tonkinson also said he suggests people avoid stocking up on fresh items. Buy little and visit the store more often for anything that deteriorates quickly, he added.
Don't be afraid to try the generic version of some foods.
You don't always have to buy a name brand to get high quality, according to Tonkinson.
"There are, of course, certain brand names that you can't live without," he told Insider. " ... But in reality, many other store or generic brands are equal in quality to the [higher] priced brand names."
For example, Tonkinson said, generic-brand legumes, rice, and cooking oils are often similar in quality to name-brand versions.
Don't buy in bulk without calculating if it's worth it.
Buying in bulk might save you money on paper, but it's not always practical, according to Tonkinson.
When confronted with bulk-buy deals, like 10 for $10 or three-for-one offers, consider if you really need all of that food, Rondier said, otherwise you'll end up with food waste (and wasted cash).
"If it was not on your bulk-buy list, stay away regardless of the enticement, and stick to the shopping list," Tonkinson told Insider.
Placing your groceries randomly on the conveyor belt at checkout may inconvenience you and your cashier.
At checkout, you want to avoid randomly placing your groceries on the belt, Immer said.
If you organized your list well, similar items should already be together in the cart and your food will go on the conveyor belt in the same way, he explained.
If this isn't the case, you'll want to organize your items categorically so the bagger or cashier can easily pack up your groceries to keep the frozen, refrigerated, and canned items together.
This way, it'll also be easier to unpack and sort your food when you get home.
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